Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. So many people have had their lives completely destroyed from Watchtower covering up these crimes. No one has all the answers. Judaism, Buddhism, the countless local faiths now lumped under the term Hinduismall cults. There have been exactly four scientific, controlled studies of the effectiveness of AA or 12-step treatment: Ditman (1967), Brandsma (1980), Vaillant (1995), and NLAES. pursuit of which must supersede all considerations of decency or of immediate Its natural. Access to necessities depends on the leader's favor. They will make you feel like youre a bad person if you break their rules, or if your actions contradict their beliefs. The ensuing information is not for the faint at heart to consider. From day one, it's a process of manipulation and deception. Lifton uses the word milieu very often in his work. Theyll make sure that youll no longer have anything else to do except go to their meetings and attend their seminars. Learn about a non-12 step solution with proven results. And they use various ways to achieve their goals. If you truly have empathetic love for yourself and for our future then PLEASE have a completely open mind in regards to what you are about to take in. But these days, brainwashing can take many forms, and it doesnt always happen in a cult or with a charismatic leader. As a mother of two daughters entering adolescence, I welcome and applaud your voice, your story, and your work to be the change on behalf of girls in our society, Marcia! Vissarion's followers include soldiers, doctors and engineers; we've all heard of celebrities involved in fringe religions. How did it happen? These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. Berg's organisation was also notorious for its use of "flirty fishing", a form of evangelistic prostitution. This subject matter is a very sensitive one that touches millions of lives and has been the reason for far too much hurt and mental devastation in our world. 8. About. gued in The Mind Manipulators, indoctrination within "cults" represents a "non-instance" of true coercive persuasion because, although elements of . Patty Hearst, heiress to the Hearst publishing fortune, became famous in the 1970s after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (the SLA, which some deem a "political cult") and allegedly brainwashed into joining the group. In the Siberian mountains an ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. She described her joy when he phoned and asked her to come and get him, and her horror at his appearance - thin and nervy, his head shaved, afraid to eat because it was "against the rules.". Cults tend to have very simple and similar foundations and common factors having all or some of the following: [1] A charismatic founder, leader or leadership. 1. Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter. Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. When I started to resolve the behavioral drives it was about beginning to value normalcy. after milieu control is extensive personal manipulation Initiated from PICK A LEADER. In Scientology, this is accomplished through a rigorous process of indoctrination through written and tape-recorded materials. You have had your mind changed by the ones who want to change your mind for their own purposes: the people who control your mind through indoctrination. You now see that there are different sides to every story and that everything depends on how you look at it. They make you feel you can do anything but actually, they are controlling you and punishing you for contradicting their values. As most people would agree, life is anything but black and white anymore. give your money to people you dont even know, 14 brainwashed symptoms (the only list youll need), 10 signs of cult brainwashing (and what to do about it), Top 10 reasons why its important to know about spiritual matters, A brutal critique of Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, A brutal critique of L. Ron Hubbard and his teachings, The fascinating life of the five most polemic gurus: A journey through wisdom, madness and manipulation. Thought reform is an umbrella term for any number of manipulative techniques used to get people to do something they wouldn't otherwise do. on Twitter, Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? If the global Armageddon that is described in The Apostle Johns Revelation were to happen today, it is the belief of this entire organization that 99.887% of the planet would be destroyed, leaving approximately 0.112893539474% of the people alive; Jehovahs Witnesses. Even the most intense religious indoctrination can be overcome. Here is how it is achieved: First, one must become acquainted with and become used to the correct terminology pertaining to religious indoctrination. Control the person's social and/or physical environment; especially. Cults appeal to our in-group mentality. Lets take an example from one of my favorite movies, Fight Club. Answer (1 of 2): The Jehovah's witnesses cult leaders use current members to recruit.they look for gullible , vulnerable, lonely , economically desperate people.. they start with a smile and feigned interest in you . How a cult-recovery therapist helps former NXIVM members regain their independence: 'There's a huge amount of fear and loss'. For example, if a friend of yours is a member of a small group, then your friends will often try to get you involved in the group as well. A healthy endocannabinoid system is critical to the human bodys immune functions. Why? There is nothing to distinguish a religion from a cult. Are you really willing to give your money to people you dont even know? Groups try to make their members internalize their values. They may even be used on you. He called his commune Rajneeshpuram. Cult members exit from a cult experience and begin their recovery only by means of original initiative. The leader may offer occasional gifts and special privileges to encourage continued submission. Who was the father of American photojournalism? In a classic deprogramming scenario, a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home. If Will Allen's documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it's that there's no easy answer. What was the last thing you got for your devotion? In 1961, Lifton published his book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of Brainwashing in China where he broke down the entire process of how a person or an entity can use 8 defined techniques to actually reform the way a person thinks and reasons. If this is the case, then youre probably being indoctrinated. Cults often try to make their members feel guilty if they decide to leave the cult. His foxes were way cooler, Your brain produces THC-like molecules called endocannabinoids, Psychotherapy works, but we still cant agree on why, Do you see subtitles when someone is speaking? Thank you, my friend. Increasingly, groups use the internet. The effects of indoctrination and brainwashing from a cult or religion can last a lifetime, even if the victim is able to wake up from its severe mental grasp. Roach gave up his robe for Armani suits and a Tibetan prosperity gospel, which he continues to preach worldwide today. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving 3. A destructive cult uses countless techniques to get its members to stay, commit themselves and take part in what may be harmful activities. They are collectively revered as Gods only prophet on Earth and the exclusive channel for which new spiritual light is to be continuously revealed to the Jehovahs Witness Organization. environment They [the group] are the agents chosen (by history, by God, or This body of men that is comprised of anywhere from eight to twelve men is a unit of self-proclaimed representatives for Gods faithful and discreet slave class.This expression is based on their interpretation of the Parable of The Faithful Servant at Matthew 24:45-47, Mark 13:34-37, and Luke 12: 35-48. Members are continually subjected to these techniques -- it's part of daily life in a cult. January 14, 2022, 7:15 pm. The following techniques are currently being used and enforced all over our world as you read these words. A jury ruled in a verdict ordering that The Jehovahs Witnesses were ordered by a jury to pay $35 million to a woman who says the churchs national organization ordered Montana clergy members not to report her sexual abuse as a child at the hands of a congregation member. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. The leader may randomly alternate praise and love with scorn and punishment to keep the member off-balance and confused and instill immense self-doubt. At the same time, rewards are offered - rest, love, comfort: the carrot and the stick. On the evening of the 18th November 1978, Jim Jones persuaded his followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide. Unfortunately, that means you've taken the first big step into identifying with the cult. Parents should look for radical changes in their college student's beliefs and demeanor, Rockwell said. He's welcomed into the cult family and invited to commit himself to the group. How do you feel when you read your favorite news source? In cult recruiting and indoctrination, these techniques include: Deception - Cults trick new recruits into joining the group and committing themselves to a cause or lifestyle they don't fully understand. This one is a rather easy one to explain. There were so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to face. Despite any redeeming value that you may be receiving from your faith, it doesnt come close to canceling out the extreme damage that the brainwashing has done to you. cure that is arbitrarily imposed. You cannot make rational decisions without their guidance. Which brings us to the seventh step. There is no free time to think or analyze. This makes up their milieu or environment. There are cults within cults, like the two thousand or so accepted faiths that borrow from Christian doctrine: Mormonism, Eastern Orthodox, Catholicism, Protestantism, Lutheranism, Scientology, Christian Science. Instead of rehashing tragic cult history or infiltrating an extremist religious sect, IndoctriNation is hosted by a therapist, Rachel Bernstein, who deeply examines why cults happen in this. Members of any one of these suspect that others are cults, because, of course, they have the best one. Thats what happened to Matthew Remski, a Toronto-based yoga therapist and Ayurvedic consultant. This is where it all starts. Within two months of her kidnapping, Patty had changed her name, issued a statement in which she referred to her family as the "pig-Hearsts" and appeared on a security tape robbing a bank with her kidnappers. Reduce autonomy, induce dependency. Brainwashing is often thought of as a tool for dictators, religious leaders, and cult leaders to operate. A cascade of affection, support and approval poured over the recruit. Love Bombing. Click here to read Part Two: How Cults Use Brainwashing and Mind Control Techniques to Achieve Indoctrination. The group uses "thought reform" methods If your serious questions are answered with cliches, you're probably in a cult. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups target people with useful skills or access to money. The Ditman (1967) study compared drunk drivers who were court-ordered to attend AA . In my 46 years, I have intently studied seven or eight of the more dominant religions of the world. For example, you might be told that if you leave the cult, your friends and family will no longer like you. Of as a tool for dictators, religious leaders, and it doesnt always in. Documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it 's part of daily in! 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